Common may have a reputation for being a conscious rapper, but he had no problem going at those who question his pen. He spent years going back and forth with Ice Cube over a perceived diss in his classic single "I Used to Love H.E.R." Cube fired at Com with the seminal Westside Connection heater "Westside Slaughterhouse," and then Common responded with the Pete Rock-produced "The B*tch In Yoo." Great songs across the board, but things reached such a fever pitch by the late 90s that Com was concerned about the next step.
The Chicago rapper recalled his feelings on the matter during a recent appearance on 7PM In Brooklyn. He revealed that something went down between him and Cube in-person in 1995, which pushed things in an unexpected direction. "We had a little confrontation in Atlanta and this was like ’95," he recalled. "At that point we had a little confrontation. And I was like, 'Man, this might get ugly.'" Common credited three things with helping to close the book on the beef by 1997. The first two things were the deaths of Biggie and 2Pac following their battle. The third was the encouragement from the Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan."
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Common And Ice Cube Have Become Close Friends
The truce between Common and Ice Cube took place at the Nation of Islam headquarters in Chicago. The event was attended by rappers from all coasts, many of whom were involved in beef at one time. Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe, Mack 10, and Tha Dogg Pound were some of the most notable names. Common told the hosts that he remains grateful for Minister Farrakhan, and Ice Cube's willingness to bury things. He assured listeners that him and Cube are close to this day. They even co-starred in Barbershop: The Next Cut together.
Common, who's working on his next album with the man who produced his Cube diss, Pete Rock, is proud of the fact that he avoided violence. "Ultimately, I felt good that we kept it on wax," he noted. "It was getting to that point with me and Cube. Because they was looking at me like, 'Oh, Common’s just the backpack dude.'"
